Tractor



April 7, 1925. 1,532,920

' s MuNsoN TRACTOR Filed June 27, 1919 e sheets-sheet 1 April. 7, 1925. 1,532,920

' s MUNSON TRACTOR Filed June 27, 1919 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 'fag 2 i @vali/0);' M5956: Lu/n arn/ @www MM' April 7, 1925.

s. MUNsoN TRACTOR Fild June 27, 1919 e'sheetg-sheet 's April '7, 1925. 1,532,920

S. MUN SON TRACTOR Filed June 27, 1919 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 sjMUNsoN TRACTOR April 7, 1925. l 1,532,920

Filed June 27,. 1919 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 [livel/fw; l

April 7,- 1925.

S. MUNSON TRACTOR l Filed June 27,

j? Eiga/ffm y Patenrdnpr. 7, 1925.

*UNITED STATES SWENEY MUNSON, OF FWLER, COLORADO.

TRACTOR.

Application tiled June 27.

To all 'w71 om 'Zt may conm/rn Be it known that I, Svvnmzr MUNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fowler, in the county of Otero and State of Colorado7 have'invented a certain new and useful improvement in Tractors, of'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n tractors.

` It relates particularly to tractors of the crawler or caterpiller driven type adapted for drawing one or more plows.

My invention preferably provides two crawlers for propelling 'the tractor and two ploiws arranged to be drawn by the tractor' and to'be used alternately for plowing back and forth. v

One of the objects of my invention is to provide resilient means for supporting the main frame of the machine upon the crawler or track laying frames.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for independently vertically adjusting the two plows7 comprising power actuated means by which when one plow is in use. the other may be lifted clear of the ground.

My invention provides still further novel power actuated means for vertically adjusting the` traction driving devices indejcndyently of each other.

.My invention provides further-novel subsoiling means by which the ground at the bottom of a furrow is gaslied without boing broken up or loosened.

My invention provides .further spring actuated means for holding each plow' lit-ani in its normal operative position, but which permits the beam to rise when 1hr-'plow strikes an unyielding object.

My invention provides further novel means for adjusting the plow beams with respect to the crawlers.

My invention provides still further novel means for steering the tractor.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

1n the accompanyingr drawings, which illustrate the preferred en'ibodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side lelevation of my improved tractor shown with one crawler and one. plow running in a furrow.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same.J lsome of the parts being removed.

Fig. 3 is n-n enlarged plan view of a por- 1919. Serial No. 307,202.

tion of the machine some of the parts, for I clearness. being ren'ioved i Fig fl is an enlarged side elevation of a .portion of one of the mechanisms employed Fig. 10 is a top view of one of the crawler fames and some of the parts connected therewith, other parts being removed.

Fig. 11 is 'a horizontal sectional view7 some of the parts being removedy on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1.

Fig.' 12 is a vertical sectionalV view on the line 1Q 12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view on the' line lf3-1B ofFig. 10.

Fig. '14 is a side elevation of a portion of the steering post and parts connected. therewith.

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional viewv of the rear end of the bifurcated steering `rod and the rear support therefor.

Fig. 16 is a top view ofthe rear end'of the bifurcated steering rod.

Fig. 1T is a vertical sectional lview onA the line1T-17 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 1S is a vertical sectional view on the line liti-18 of Fig. 4. y

Fig. it) an enlarged side elevation of a portion ot' one of the crawler traction belts. Fig. 2t) is a cross eect ion on the line 20--20 of Fig. 1f). v

Fig. 21 'is an inside plan view of what -is shown in Figs. 19 and 20.

Fig.

is a vertical sectional View on the line of Fig. 3 showing the brake mechanism applied to one of the differential l operated shafts.

Similar vreference characters designate diiierent parts in the diierent views..-

1` designates the main frame of the machine. which is preferably a. rectangular frame composed of rgbiannel beams.

vFor supporting tli'rearend of the frame 1. 1 provide at opposite sides respectively oi' the nuit-hitte two`erawiers`of caterpiller guidi-ng"mechanisms, which are arranged liti for independent vertical adjustment, preferably obtained by power' actuated mechaf' nisin. As the twh crawlers and the mechanisms respectively supi'orted .thereby which respectively support the plow beamsI andv which carry the-rear end ol the main Ytrame are alike, a description ot one ol' the crawlers and `lthe mechanism it supliorts, will autiice.

Each crawler comprises a substantially horizontal trame 2 ot' any suitable con struction which has rotatably' mounted therein near the rear end thereola trans# verse horizontal shaft 3, Figs. l` ltl and ll, to which is rigidly secured a large sprocket wheel 4 on which is mounted and by which is driven an endless chain track laying belt 5, which is also mounted on a sprocket wheel 6 which is mounted rotatably on a shaft 7, mounted at its ends in two boxes 8 respectivdy'longitudinally slidably adjustible in two slotsflt provided in the traine 2 and which are respectively adjusted by means of two longitudinal screws l0 fitted respectively in screi'v--threaded holes provided in the frame 2. The trame 2 is further snp- POrted by means of two peri pherally grooved wheels 1l, rotatably m-ouiited in the frame 2 and which receive and run upon the belt 5 where the latter rests upon the ground.

The upper portion of `the belt 5 engages and is supported by a sprocket wheel l2 rotatably mounted in the central upper portion of the frame 2.

The belt 5 is preferably composed of a series of tread plates 13, Figsplt) to 2l, each provided on its outer side with a transverse rib 13, andbeing each provided with ltwo inwardly extending arms l5, in which is mounted a transverse bolt 1G. which is connected with the next adjacent. bolts by means ot links i7. two pairs ot links being pivoted to each bolt and the inner links being spared apart by a sleeve l5 mounted ou the bolt ltl.

Each bolt is provided with a nut lil,

-through which extends ac'otter piu 20,

which also extends through the bolt lti.

Mounted on the top of each crawler frame 2 are a series ot' bow-shaped leaf springs 2l which are super-posed one upon the other, and which are-mounted at their middle. portions in a bearing member '22, which is pi'votally mounted on a horizontal stud 23, Figs. l, 4. l0, 12 andl` which at its inner end is rigidly mounted in a swingiiig nti'einber 24, which is pivoted'at its toi-ward end to a driving Shaft 25,n'ioun-ed in a bearing 2G, Fig. 4l, which is attached lo the trame l. The swinging member -l is supported and vertically adjusted by a pinion 27, which meshes with. an arcuate row of teeth 28 provided on the rear edge of the member 24.. The pinion 2T is secured to a horizontal shaft- 28 by a key 2f), the shaft 28 being vthe lever 47 in one direction the rotatably mounted in a bracket 129.', which is secured to the top o t* the trame Rigidly secured to the shall. 2S is a worin wheel 3l), Figs. l and il, which meshes with a worm ill, mounted upon an inclined 70 shalt 32, which is rotatably mounted in the bracket 29 and Vwhich has rigidly secured to it av large bevel gear wheel tlf'l, Figli?, and Fig. lt), which is normally disengaged from but which is adapted to selectively engage either ot two bevel gear wheels ill and 35 which are rigidly secured to and slidable with a sleeve 36 which is rotatably mounted on a horizontal sha't't 37 mounted in the bracket 29',` Fig. 3. The sleeve 36 has 90 rigidly secured to it a sprocket wheel 8S which is connected by a chain belt 39 with a sprocket wheel 40, Fig. l0, which is rigidly secured to the adjacent dill'erential driving sliat't. 25. The saiddriving shaft S5 25 has rigidly secured to. it a sprocket wheel 4l, which has mounted on it a sprocket chain -42 which is also mounted on a sprocket wheel l?, which is rotatably mounted on the stud 23 and which is rigidly secured to a 90 sprocket wheel 44 which has mounted on it a chain belt 45, which is also mounted op a sprocket wheel /l-G, which is rigidly secured to the shaft 3, Figs. l, 2, l() and ll.4

A lever 4T is pivoted to the b lacket 29 95 and has its forward end mounted in a4 peripheral groove 4S in the sleeve 3G. By shifting the lever 47 in the usual manner, the sleeve 36 is moved so as to engage either ot the gears 34 or 35 with the gear 33. The 10 gears 34 and 35 run continuously with the sleeve 36 and differential shaft 25. lVhenv the lever 47 is in the neutral position shown, the gear 33 1s disengaged from both gears l 34 and At such time the worm 3l holds 105 the worm wheel 30, shaft 28 and gear orpinion 27 stationary in the lpositions to which they have been last moved, thereby supporting the swinging member 24- in the position to which it has been adjusted. By swinging.

pinion 2i and sha t't 2" may be turned so as to lift the member 24. ly moving the lever 47 to the opposite position, the shaft 28 and the pinion 2T will be turned so as to lower the 115 member 2%. The stud 22 may be thus raised and lowered and with it may be moved the crawler frame 2 through the intermediary of the bearing 22 and the springs 2l. The latter are mounted at their ends in transverse holes prdvided in opstanding projections 49 provided on the upper side of the crawler trame 2` a pair at eac-h side ot the center thereof.' y

Two plow beams 50 have their forward 125 Iends pivotally supported so as to be raised and lowered. As shown in Fig. l, each plow heam is pivoted to a transverse pin 5l which extends through a slot 52 in a bracket 53 which is secured to and depends from the *30 frame 1. The pin 51 is carried by a vertical link 54, the upper end of which is pivoted to one end of a hell crank lever 55, pivotally mounted on the frame 1 and having its other end pivoted to the forward end of an inclined rod 56 which is provided with a screwvthreaded portion 57, fitted in a nut 58, which is pivoted on a transverse axis to a bearing,r

59 mounted on the frame 1. The rear end of the rod 58 is provided with a hand wheel 6U. By turning the hand wheel 60, the forward end of the beam 50 may be raised and lowered as desired.

The beams 50, respectively carry at their rear ends right and left plow shares 61 andv 62 and yright and left mold boards 63 and 64. Figs. 1 and 2.

Means for sub-soiling the fui'iows cut hy `the shares 61 and 62 are provided, comprising, preferably, two pairs-of rolling colters which extend respectively below the bottom of the adjacent plow share. Each pair of rollingr colters comprises a rolling lcolter 65 .which is rotatably mounted upon a depending-plate G6, which is attached at its upper end 4to the adjacent mold board, and a rolling colter 67, which is attached rotatably to mit entrance therein of water, without hreak' ing up the earth.

Each beam 50 preferably carries forward of the adjacent plow share a gang of vertically adjustable concave-convex disks 69 the adjacent share.

As best shown in-Figs. 4, 17 and 18, each plow beam 50 is supported on the upper side of a peripherally grooved roller 70, which is rotatably mounted upon a horizontal pin 71 which extends inwardly from a member 72 which is pivoted at its forward end to the-adjacent stud 23 and which has 'secured to its outer side a vertical plate 73,' ifromwhich it is spaced apartby'sleeves 74, respectively mounted on two screws 75. The member 24 has a rearwardly extending arm 7 6 located between the plate 73 and the member 72. The member 72 is vertically adjustable relatively to the arm 76. The rear end of the arm 76 is provided with a vertical arcuate row of teeth 77, Fig-- 4, which engage with. a vertical worm 78 rigidly secured to a. vertical rod 7 9, which at its upper end' has secured-to it a hand wheel 80. The worm 78 .is mounted between two ears 81 provided one above the other on thememher 72 and which hold the worm from endwse movement. relatirely to the member 72. By

turning' the handwheel Si) in the proper dir'ection, the 'rear end of'the memhcr 72 und with it the roller 71), may be swungr upward!)Y and downwardly so as to` raise and lower the rear end of the beam 5U carried hy the roller 70.

For normally holdingr the beam 5i) from being,r lifted. eachh'eam 50 has hearing upon its upper edge a coil spring S2. Fig. 17, lo?A cated in a vertical hole 83 which extends upwardly from the under side of the adjacent member 72. spring 82 bears against the member 72 at the top of said hole. When the plow share strikes against a rock or other unyielding object, the spring 82 will yield so as to permit the plow share to rise and pass over the obstacle.

The transverse differential driving. shafts 25 are connected by the 4usual differential driving mechanism to a central large worm wheel 84 which is rotatably mounted on the frame-1, and which mesheswith a longitudinal worm 85, which is rigidly secured to the usual longitudinal driving shaftv 86. of an explosive engine, not shown, carried hy the frame 1. Y

Any usual speed changing mechanism may be employed for contrr'illingr the opera' The upper end of the coill tion. of theengine and may be operated hy means of .a longitudinal rod 87 vwhich has its forward end mountedby a hall and socket joint 88 which connects the rod toA the change Speed mechanism, not shown. Therod 87 has a screw-threaded portion 89 which is fitted in a nut 90, which is pivotally mounted on a transverse axis to a bearing 91 supported by the frame 1. To the rear end of therod 87 is attached a t hand wheel 92, Figs. 1, 2 and 3. which break up the ground 1n advance of Each differential driving shaft 25 may be provided withoabrake of any ordinary construction. As best shownin Figs. 8 and 22, ec'hshaft 25 has secured to it a brake Wheel 93, the periphery of which is embraced by a strap 94, one end of which'is secured to a bolt 95 mounted in a bracket 96 secured to and depending from the tramoy 1. The other end of the strap is pivotall-v attached to one end of a link 97, the lower end of which is pivoted to a longitudinal pedal bar 98, the forward end of which is` .pivoted on a transverse `airis to the adjacent bracket 96. By depressing the rear end of the bar 98, the strap 94 is tightened on the wheel 93.

"The tractor is provided with a iront axle 99, to opposite ends of which are respec-I tively pivoted by vertical bolts 10G two spindles 101, on which are respectively rotatably mounted two carrying wheels 102.

Depending from the front portion of the Vframe 1 is an inverted U-shaped bracket 105, in which at their middle portions are mounted a plurality .of leaf springs 106, superposed one above the .other and supported pivotally at their ends upon two pairs of links 107, which are pivoted to the front and rear sides of the axle 99 by longitudinal horizontal bolts 108.

The axle 99 is, by the mechanism just described, adapted for vertical swinging relatively to the frame 1. By means of the springs 106, and the springs 21, which are carried' by the crawlers, the main frame 1 has a spring mounting upon the crawlers and upon the front axle.

For turning the spindles 101, in steering the machine to the right or left, or to guide it straight ahead, the following described steering mechanism is preferably employed.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 5 to 9, and 14 to 16, 109 designates a steering Wheel which is secured rigidly to `the upper end of a forwardly and downwardly inclined steering post 110, which at its lower end is connected by a. universal joint 111, Fig. 14, to the rear end of a substantially horizontal rod 112, the forward end of which is connected by a universal joint 113 to the rear end of a horizontal longitudinal Worm 114, which meshes with a worm Wheel 115, which is rigidly attached, Figs. 5, 6 and 7, to a transverse horizontal shaft 116,

which is rotatably mounted' above the axleA 99 in two bearings 117, which are mounted on the axle 99.

The worm 114 is rotatably mounted in bearings 118 provided at the front and rear side of the axle 99.

Respectively rigidly secured to the right and left ends Iof the shafty 116 are two bevel /gears 119 and 120. The lower side of the 4gear wheel 119 meshes with teeth 121 provlded onthe' upper side of a gear segment 122'wh1ch is circumferentially adjustable .on the right pin 100, and which rests upon the axle 99, and is provided on its upper .122. I The upper side of the bevel gear 120 A side with an arcuate row of teeth 123, which are adapted to mesh with an arcuate yrow of teeth 124 on the under side. of a plate 125, Figs. 8 and '9,.wliich Ais keyed to the rightA pin 100 and which extends over the gear 119, and -Which is provided with vertical screw-thr`eaded holes 126, through which extend'respectively bolts 127, Figs.4

6 and 7, which also extend vthrough verticalslots 128, provided in the gear segment meshes withteeth 121 on the under side of another segmental gear plate 122, correspending in construction, although reversed in lposition to the segmental gear 122 already described. The se Tmental gear 122 which meshes with the. bevel gear 120 is clrcumferentially adjustable on the left pin reversed in position, and which is keyedor splined to the left pin 100 and which bears upon the upper side of the vaxle 99 vand is proy ided with Ascrevv-threaded holes 126, Fig. 9, in which are respectively fitted vertical bolts 127, which extend through slots 128 in the adjacent segmental gear 122.

B v loosening the bolts 127, the segmental gears 122 may be circumferentially adjusted with relation to the spindles 101, which are respectiveljY keyed to the pins 100, therebjy affording a proper adjustment to the spindles.

ly turning the steering wheel 109 in the proper directions, the shaft 116 may be turned so as to swing the spindles 101 simultaneously in like directions for turning the machine to the right or leftin steering. This effect is -obtained by the engagement above described of the bevel gears 119 and 120 with the segmental gears 122, which respectively turn with the pins 100 and the spindles 101 respectively attached thereto.

For holding` the front axle from swinging on a vertical axis while permitting it to swing on a horizontal,longitudinal axis, it has attached rigidly to it the forward ends of two forwardly diver-ging arms 129 of a bifurcated rod 130, Figs. 2, 15 and 16, the rear end of which is provided with a spherical knob 131, which is pivoted tol turn in anydirectiom between two recessed bearing plates 132 and 133, which are rigidly at tached to the under side of the frame 1.

To drive the machine forward, the engine is operated so as to rotate the differential shafts 25, thereby driving the crawler belts 5 through the interniediacy of thel sprocket wheels 4-1, chain belts 42, sprocket' wheels 42S and 44, chain belts 45, sprocket wheels 46, shafts 3 and large sprocket wheels 4.

'heu the machine arranged for traveling but not for j ilowing, the levers 47 are swung to positions suchy that theA gears 33 will be turned so as to lift the swinging member 24, through the intermediacy of the worm shafts 32, worms 31, worm-wheels 30, shafts 28', and gears 27, to the elevated position occupied shown in Fig. 1. Both beams 50 will thus be lifted so that .the plow shares and rolling colters Will clear the surface of the ground. At such times, the members 72 .may be lifted' to raise the beams 50 by means of the rollers 70. by turning the hand wheels 80, so that the worms 7 8 will engage the upper teeth 77.

When it desired to plow the first furrow, the hand wheel which controls the beam 50 which is to be used to plow the first furrow is turned in a direction such that the by the left member 24 as imam 5G will he lowered relatively to tlie adjacent member 24 below the central position slur-,rn in Fig. 4. The plow share et the lowered beam will. thus cutthe first farrow. ,it the enel of the furrow, the machine turned around, one of the levers i7 being then swungr so as to eii'ect the raising of the lowered beam, -following; which the adja? cent hand wheel 80 is turned so as to vming the worm 78 to the central position shown in Fig. -,in 'which position it will remain throughout the plowing operation.

The other lever 4'? is then swung to a po stionl in which the adjacent member 9A will oe lowered to the `inosition shown in Fig. 4, and the adjacent crawler belt 5 will be made to travel along in 'the furrow which has been made. The adjacent hand wheel 80 will be set in the position in which the parts will be as shown 'in Fig. Ll, in which position .the bottom of the plow share which is now ,turning a furrow will be at the same level as the first furrow along which the adjacent crawler belt 5 is traveling.

The worms 78, after the iirst furrow has been made, always occupies a central position shown in l? fi, during the plowing operation, and are only changed when it is (lesiretl to change the depth oit a 'furrow or when it is desired to lift the plows clear of the ground. The hand wheels $0 are op crateri to vertically adjust the forward ends of the beams 50 to correspond with the atljustnient 4of the rear ends of the beams by the turning of the hand wheels 80.

By means of the construction described,

the plows and crawlers may he. vertically acljustecl' hy power operated means infiepenlently oliv the traveling movement of the crawlers or ina-in frame, antl joint means is provided for simultaneously vertically adjusting each crawler and the plow carried thereby.

'Vhat ,l claim isrl l l. ln a tractor, two crawlers, two plows, headed in the same direction a main frame and means for simultaneously vertically adjusting one crawler and one plow independn ently of the other crawler and plow and independently ot' the traveling movement of the crawlers,v

ln a tractor, two crawlers,- two plows, headed in the same direction a mainframe, joint means .for simultaneously adjusting one crawler and one plow vertically with respect to the main trame and independently of 'othercrawler and plow, and means for iritlepenclently vertically adjustin thc plows relatively to thecra'wlers respectlvely.

3. ln a tractor, a tractor frame, a motor carried thereby, a shaft rotatable on. said frame,l inc-ans actuated by the motor for ro tating said shaft, a-pinion Secured to and rotatable with said shaft, a swinging` member pivoted to Said frame and having teeth `engaging said pinion, a plow beam pivoted to said iframe and arranged to be supported by said swinging member, a crawler frame, a spring' supported by said crawler frame and supporting said swinging member, and traction clrii ing means' mounted on said crawler iframe, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification.v

swsniiv' Monson. 

